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Sandra Aguirre
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Unit 3

Technology and Language Teaching

ICT resources in the EFL


classroom
Table of contents
Scheme 3

Key ideas 4
3.1. Introduction and objectives 4
3.2. Importance of ICT in the ESL classroom: what
they offer 4
3.3. The digital text and its possibilities: practical
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projects 9
3.4. Useful websites for ESL classroom 16
3.5. Bibliographical references 28

In Depth 30

Test 32
Scheme
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Technology and Language Teaching


3
Unit 3. Scheme
Key ideas

3.1. Introduction and objectives

In this unit we will focus on two main topics: on the one hand, what ICT offer to the
class of ESL —English as a second language—, followed by the definition of the digital
text. Based on this definition, we are going to mention different projects that we can
perform in class just by using word processors and texts, as a first step in the
implementation of ICT in ESL.

To finish with, we are going to present a series of websites that may be useful for the
ESL, as they contain activities, both for teachers and students, which will help in the
teaching-learning process.

The objectives of this unit are:

 Study what ICT offer to the ESL.


 Define what a digital text is.
 Study the possibilities that basic digital texts convey.
 Study different websites for ESL classroom.

3.2. Importance of ICT in the ESL classroom: what


they offer
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There is no doubt that technology has become really important in our daily practice
as English teachers. English, as international lingua franca, is the language used in
technologically mediated contexts, and technology is already offered as an integral
part of our textbooks and ELT materials. On the other hand, we have also said that

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
young learners are native “techies”, since they are growing with technology as part
of their lives. Therefore, it is a natural process for them to incorporate and to use
technology when learning, including learning a language. And this also implies that
they expect us to incorporate technology in our teaching.

So, answering to the question of what ICT offer, we should mention the following
aspects:

 Computer-based facilities and other ICT resources offer new ways of student and
teacher’s feedback and assessment, and they give the learner the opportunity to
practice the four linguistic skills, which we can define as in table 1.

Table 1. The four linguistic skills.

 ICT can broaden the ways in which the outside world can be brought into the
classroom. Besides, it can also provide opportunities for the students and teachers
to communicate with others around the world.
 English can provide a varied context for many aspects of ICT, which could
enhance the teaching and learning process. It has the potential to contribute to
both the development of ICT capability among students and to a broader
technological literacy.
 ICT is now a fundamental element of literacy in a modern technological society.
All students are entitled to be able to communicate effectively using the new
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technologies, which go hand-in-hand with the English curriculum. Experience


shows that ICT is most effective when embedded in the curriculum, integrated into
schemes of work and not viewed as an add-on.
 As for the Internet: as a communication tool, it makes collaborative work more
interesting and amusing for students. As an information tool, it gives us the

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
possibility of using authentic materials, especially ELT materials, and facilitates all
short of educational resources to create your own materials.

Miles (2001), on the other hand, proposes the following ways in which ICT help
students of ESL (figure 1).

Figure 1. How ICT help ESL students. Based on Miles (2001).

According to Savvidis (2016), there are five basic benefits for our students of using
technology in the classroom:

 Improves engagement: technology provides different opportunities to make


learning more fun and enjoyable in terms of teaching the same things in new ways.
For instance, delivering teaching through gamification or taking students on virtual
field trips. What is more: technology can encourage a more active participation in
© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

the learning process.


 Improves knowledge retention: students who are engaged and interested in the
things that they are studying are expected to have a better knowledge retention.
As we have said, technology can help to encourage active participation in the

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
classroom, which is also a very important factor for increased knowledge
retention.
 Encourages individual learning: no one learns in the same way because of
different learning styles and different abilities. Technology provides great
opportunities for making learning more effective for each individual and their
different needs. For example, students can learn at their own speed, review
difficult concepts or skip contents ahead if they need to. The Internet gives
students access to a broad range of resources to conduct research in different
ways, which in turn can increase the engagement.
 Encourages collaboration: students can practice collaboration skills by getting
involved in different online activities. For instance, working on different projects
by collaborating with others on forums or by sharing documents through their
virtual learning environments, both in the same classroom, the same school and,
even, with other classrooms around the world.
 Students can learn useful life skills through technology: thanks to technology,
both teachers and students can develop skills essential for the 21st century.
Modern life, and therefore modern learning, is about collaborating with others,
solving complex problems, critical thinking and developing different forms of
communication and leadership skills. Technology can help develop them, together
with many practical skills, such as creating presentations, learning to differentiate
reliable from unreliable sources on the Internet, maintaining proper online
etiquette, and writing e-mails.
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Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
As a summary:

Figure 2. Benefits of ICT in ESL. Adapted from Savvidis (2016).

However, we must always keep in mind that technology and teachers are not
interchangeable, but complementary, since they play different roles in the teaching-
learning experience. With countless online resources, technology can help improve
teaching. Teachers can use different apps or trusted online resources to enhance the
traditional ways of teaching and to keep students more engaged. Virtual lesson plans,
grading software and online assessments can help teachers save a lot time. This
valuable time can be used for working with students who are struggling or preparing
better classes.
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Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
What ICT offer to English

In the following video, we will see how our role as teachers changes when we
implement ICT in the classroom.

Access the video through the virtual classroom

3.3. The digital text and its possibilities: practical


projects

The digital text

One of the most significant aspects of the new technologies is the ability to produce
traditional ‘texts’ in a digital form. A digital text is:
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Any text stored electronically in some kind of retrieval system or device.

The new technologies encompass far more than print and book-based media ever
could. Digital texts may be electronically generated and stored in digital form, for

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
example through word processors and desktop publishing packages. They may also
use resources, which include electronic sources of information such as CD-ROM and
the digital text repositories of the Internet.

The digital text itself can be displayed on a screen; digitally-stored texts may also be
printed out on paper and, again, technology gives us a far greater level of control as
to the shape and format of the text on the page than could ever be achieved with
pen, paper, or even with the electronic typewriter. Technology itself has provided the
opportunity for young people to explore the sending and receiving of texts via mobile
phones and has created a new and vibrant approach to the informal use of texts.

Practical projects

Using computer-based technology in the English classroom means adapting the


various available computer applications to the English Studies’ needs.

ICT applications in this context are computer-based programs devised for a


specific purpose. All of them handle and manipulate information held in
digital form in some way, whether it be for text, numeric, sound or graphical
purposes.

In this part we will revise possible activities to be performed in class, thanks to very
basic ICT.

For more information about the different sections, please, read Miles (2001), as in
this unit we will only mention and propose a few examples.
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Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
The range of ICT activities in English

English and ICT activities which explore language and ideas may be usefully
structured around the following elements:

 Composing texts: a focus on how texts may be created and structured.


 Presenting texts: a focus on presentation tools for particular purposes and
audiences.
 Reading texts: a focus on response and interpretation.
 Transforming texts: a focus on manipulating form and changing texts from one
genre to another
 Exploring texts: a focus on searching for, retrieving and processing information.

Examples of incorporating ICT in typical English activities

The following examples are brief descriptions of activities integrating ICT with some
common topics in English:

 Poetry: order a poem, which has been disordered.


 Researching a topic.
 Language study: create a database of slang words.
 Narrative: redraft a traditional fairy tale.
 Literature: design invitations for the Capulet’s ball –if studying Romeo and Juliet.
 Media: studying leaflets and creating their own.

Word processing and English teaching


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The word processor is undoubtedly still the most effective and useful of any of the
generic computer programs as far as English studies is concerned. Most modern
word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word, have common features, which
can aid and enhance text-handling skills. The line dividing word processors from
desktop publishing systems is constantly shifting. In general, though, desktop

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Unit 3. Key Ideas
publishing applications enable a finer control over layout, and provide more support
for full-colour documents.

The word processor as a writing tool: any text-based written task which is
more than just copy-typing is a valid task for the word processor. The typing
up of word-processed essays is valid only if the text is drafted and edited, as
well.

One of the strengths of word processing is the aid that it provides for making the
process of drafting and editing more attractive. This convenience can serve as a very
effective tool for teaching. An example can be found when teaching writing, as word
processing programs can assist students in both content and structure. Nowadays,
word processing programs also provide spellchecking, thesaurus and grammar
assistance, and some even provide the opportunity for text analysis. These features
can help students improve the quality of their writing and also allow a consideration
of content, layout, audience, visual impact, etc. This makes it easier to produce
documents such as newspaper simulations, brochures, information packs (local,
historical, school-based), posters, anthologies, instruction booklets, magazines, etc.
However, one issue concerning the use of word processors, which needs to be
addressed, is the use of spellcheckers and grammar checkers.
Transformations: ways of working with e-text

Now that e-text (digitally stored text) is available from many sources, a concern
expressed by English teachers is that there is a danger that students copy pages of
e-text into a word-processed piece without having processed the content of the
text. Transformation can be used to alleviate this problem. A transformation requires
the student to understand the text thoroughly, and said understanding (or lack
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thereof) becomes immediately evident to an informed reader.

Some examples of transformation:

 Rewrite for another age-group.

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Unit 3. Key Ideas
 Rewrite for another audience of similar age.
 Take a text and change its purpose.
 Change the viewpoint of a piece.
 Shorten a piece.
 Expand a piece.
 Change form.
 Change genre.
 Change style.
 Translate into the style of another century.

Using web resources and the Internet in English

This section presents a range of activities, which might be used with a class, each
making use of a particular aspect of the Internet or using resources from specific
websites.

What does the Internet have to offer English Studies? The World Wide Web offers
teachers, students and departments very pragmatic alternatives to traditional ways
of approaching English Studies. How well English departments adapt to and utilise
the new media may be the determining factor in their success as language education
providers in the digital future.

What information is on the Internet? The Internet is a resource for the whole family
to use and it provides a way of communicating with people around the world. Below
are some examples of the types of information that can be found on the Internet:

 Reference material in online libraries.


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 Global news fed live.


 Newspapers from towns and countries round the world.
 Sites for children’s learning and entertainment.
 Government departments online.
 Well-known organisations such as the BBC and the Science Museum.

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Unit 3. Key Ideas
The dynamics of the Internet: the Internet can be regarded as a dynamic
communication system with three basic vectors:

 The downward or resource dynamic: allowing a user to view web-held


information as text, graphics, sound or any combination, and download it onto
their own computer.
 The lateral or communication dynamic: allowing a user in one part of the world
to contact a user, or group of users, in another. The e-mail, newsgroup,
noticeboard, conferencing and chat room aspects of the Internet encourage the
exchange of ideas and dissemination of information.
 The ‘upward’ or publication dynamic: the process of publishing material on the
Internet. The Internet gives you the opportunity to have the whole world as your
potential audience.

Using Internet resources for English. The following ideas outline how the use of ICT
and the resources of the World Wide Web can aid regarding the study of a novel. This
approach might be applied to any of the literary genres. Note that all writing tasks
set in conjunction with these activities should be word processed. Some of these
activities will require access to digital versions of the novel. These are available
through websites and can be downloaded to your computer. It is unlikely that the
texts of modern novels will be available in digital form, but there is a wealth of
background and critical information, as well as biographical details of many of these
authors to be found on the Internet. Downloading digital text is reasonably easy.

The range of activities could be:

 Chapter summaries.
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 Tables: using the Tables option in Microsoft Word, students create a table or grid
which might demonstrate, under specific headings, the progressive structure of
the novel being studied, character ‘diaries’, etc.
 Creative e-mails.

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
 Illustration montage: from a collection of images extracted from the web, or
digital files of scanned ‘found’ images, students construct montages of pictures,
texts, etc.
 Text analysis: using hypertext links, students put together a file of notes, or
extracts from poems, plays, news items, or other prose works which might be
opposite to or reflect upon the theme of the novel studied.
 Transformations: transformations of digital text can take many forms. In this
context, students select a suitable extract from the novel and rewrite it as a scene
for a TV adaptation in TV script format. A ‘reverse’ technique might be to take a
scene from a play (preferably one that is being studied by the class) and to rewrite
it in novel form, taking the style and genre of the novel being studied as the model.
 Associated artefacts: over the years, many novels have produced commercial
artefacts or products as a spin-off due to their popularity. The task here is for
students to take on the role of a marketing manager and prepare a portfolio of
promotional material for such an artefact or product based on the novel of choice.
Examples might be the Pickwick Christmas Hamper (after The Pickwick Papers, by
Dickens), perfumes (after the film Frozen) some pieces of clothing (after Disney's
fairy tales) or themed experiences (after the Harry Potter books).
 Character viewpoints: students create short pieces of first person ‘viewpoints’
which might have been written by a particular character in the narrative, as their
inner reaction to an incident or situation. Students could hyperlink them to that
specific point in the narrative. There can be as many ‘personal’ views as there are
students willing to take on the role.
 Text search: using the ‘Find’ tool of the Word processor, students search the
digital text for such things as places, characters, images or objects. These
references can then be used to produce character maps or image banks, or collect
information about locations. The spellchecker could also be used with older texts
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to compile a collection of archaisms, which could then be incorporated into a


commentary.
 Commentary: students create a file, which is hyperlinked to the text, and this file
gives details regarding archaisms, character descriptions, references to objects,

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Unit 3. Key Ideas
places, relationships of characters, etc. This database of information can be built
on by successive classes as they study the novel.
 Background: students create a hyperlinked database of social, historical, political
and religious background information regarding the novel as well as biographical
writer’s details.

The digital text and practical projects

In the following video we will propose some examples and ideas regarding projects
involving digital text within the classroom and how to approach them with our
students.

Access the video through the virtual classroom

3.4. Useful websites for ESL classroom


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In this section of the unit, we will revise some examples of websites, which could be
useful. We have chosen a selection of authority websites, although many more can
be found in the Internet.

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Unit 3. Key Ideas
Institutional websites

British Council

Figure 3. British Council. Retrieved from: https://www.britishcouncil.org/

The British Council is a cultural institute from the United Kingdom, whose mission is
to spread the knowledge of the English language and culture by means of courses
and other academic activities. It was created in 1934 and spread around the world.
In 1940 they opened a branch office in Spain.

Their website has six main categories: Learn English, Take an exam, Study or work
abroad, School and teacher resources, Arts, education and society and Voices
magazine. The Learn English site (http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/) is a
great site for English learners. There are downloadable podcasts, games, academic
writing help and an IELTS section. You can also download free apps for your iPhone
or iPad. In School and teacher resources, there are links to resources, professional
development programmes and websites to join programmes with other schools and
embed international activities, apply for teacher assistant positions, get in touch with
other schools by means of Twitter or Facebook, connect classrooms worldwide or to
participate in international programmes such as eTwinning or Erasmus+.

BBC
© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

Figure 4. BBC. Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
As a part of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), the Learning English website
offers resources for the learning of the language. The main page has the following
links: Courses, Features, Grammar, Vocabulary, Pronunciation, News quizzes, News
and Teachers and children, where you have access to many resources. In the News
section, for instance, they feature recent news reports including words which you can
listen to and read with key vocabulary being highlighted. There is also the Phrase of
the day, or grammar and topic-related vocabulary. On screen you have a wide variety
of exercises, mainly based on videos.

Students also have the possibility to study in their own language, and
registration is free.

Publishing websites

All publishing companies in the market today have a website with mainly commercial
purposes. In them, apart from the obvious advertising of their products, they have
specific links to resources for both teachers and students. Some of these links are
accessible only with a code or password, provided to the students and teachers with
the books, but some other have a free access.

In this section, we will mention the most important publishing houses in our
country, houses with which most of the teachers will work during their teaching
careers.

Oxford University Press (OUP)


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Figure 5. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from: https://global.oup.com

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
A branch of the Oxford University, the Press offers information about its products,
but by clicking on English Language Teaching (figure 6) you get to the Oxford
Teacher’s Club, in which you have the resources organised according to subjects and
“other titles”, as you can see below (figure 7).

Figure 6. English Language Teaching. Retrieved from: https://global.oup.com

Figure 7. Oxford Teachers’ Club. Retrieved from:


https://elt.oup.com/teachersclub/?cc=global&selLanguage=en

Cambridge University Press


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Figure 8. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from: https://www.cambridge.org

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
Again, a branch of the Cambridge University, dedicated to two main aims: books to
prepare their exams and those of English as a second language.

Figure 9. Cambridge University Press website. Retrieved from:


https://www.cambridge.org/es/cambridgeenglish

In the Cambridge English section you have access to I’m a teacher, where you can
find a wide number of resources. You must register, but it is free.

Macmillan Education

Figure 10. Macmillan education. Retrieved from: https://www.macmillaneducation.es/en/

As a publishing house, Macmillan provides us with information about their materials.


In this case, this website provides both, teachers and students, with their own link for
specific activities, as you can see below (figure 11).
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Figure 11. Macmillan education website. Retrieved from: https://www.macmillaneducation.es/en/

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
Heinemann

Figure 12. Heinemann. Retrieved from: https://www.heinemann.com/

Unfortunately, it is just a commercial site, with no resources to offer unless you


register, which is free. If you register, they send activities and other resources to your
e-mail.

Pearson Education

Figure 13. Pearson Education. Retrieved from: https://www.pearson.com/english

This is a big company, and its branch Pearson English is dedicated to ESL.
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Figure 14. Pearson English. Retrieved from: https://www.pearson.com/english

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
By clicking on Resources we have access to free classroom resources, for students
and for teachers. You can also join live classes.

Individual Websites

In this section, we will mention three websites made by and for teachers.

Dave’s ESL Café

Figure 15. Dave’s ESL Café. Retrieved from: www.eslcafe.com

It was set up by and is managed by Dave Sperling. The site is free to use, and contains
material for both students and teachers alike, as well as a job’s board. The site’s
slogan is “The Internet’s Meeting place for ESL + EFL teachers + students from around
the World!” The website is aimed at ESL professionals and students who want to
improve their English skills.

At the top of the main page, there are tabs for Home, Jobs, Stuff for Teachers, Stuff
for Students, Stuff for Everyone, and a site search engine and, hovering over the tabs,
you have access to a further list of options. It has a wide range of useful materials
arranged under different topics, such as business English, listening, spelling, games,
and so on. In Student’s Stuff, teachers and students can find a lot of resources,
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including every student’s favourite: phrasal verbs, American slang, grammar tips, as
well as a help centre where students can ask for help on areas of the English language
learning. There is also a forum to speak with other English language students. Some
additional areas, although not directly related to ESL, are interesting to look at, both

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Unit 3. Key Ideas
for students and teachers: for example, the Today in History page, which is updated
daily.

It is free to use, although there is a restricted payment area. It provides links to other
ESL Sites, too.

Busy Teacher

Figure 16. Busy Teacher. Retrieved from: https://busyteacher.org/

It is a web intended for teachers of English as a second language. It keeps more than
14 000 resources ready-to-use, created by teachers worldwide, which are free and
downloadable. You can search them by skills or by the months of the year, in case the
activities you need are related with festivals or holidays.

Register is not necessary, although we need to do it if we want to upload our own


materials. Teachers can also subscribe to an e-mail newsletter.

iSLCollective (Internet Second Language Collective)

Figure 17. iSLCollective. Retrieved from: https://es.islcollective.com


© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

It is a website where you can find useful resources. You must register in order to
download the handouts, but it is for free.

The materials are organised following five main categories: grammar, vocabulary,
material type, levels and student type. Apart from those categories, there are videos

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Unit 3. Key Ideas
and a section titled Trending topic with widely used resources. Next to the resources
there is a meter with the number of times which they have been downloaded.

Excellent ESL 4U

Figure 18. Excellent ESL 4U. Retrieved from: https://www.excellentesl4u.com/esl-reading-


comprehension.html

It was created by a teacher of ESL. Its aim is to provide information about topic areas;
each topic area has vocabulary to learn and exercises to help remember it. These are
meant to be done along with conversations using the vocabulary, reading and
listening activities to help students see how the vocabulary is used and, then, writing
tasks so that they can use the vocabulary.

The teaching materials are based on flashcards, videos and recordings of native
speakers, as well as the written text of the site. This multimedia approach provides
learners with as many ways as possible to learn the topic’s information. The topics
are written so that there is something for learners of all levels.
The site also includes a grammar section, but this will not be approached until the
main part, based on the topic’s vocabulary, is well established.

Others

Englishpage
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Figure 19. Englishpage. Retrieved from: https://www.englishpage.com/

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
Englishpage offers free English lessons with English grammar and vocabulary
exercises online. As you can see in figure 20, the range of exercises is wide and
complete.

Figure 20. Englishpage. Retrieved from: https://www.englishpage.com/

It was created by Language Dynamics with the purpose of offering free English
lessons and ESL/EFL resources to intermediate and advanced English learners, in
order to improve their English for career advancement. The exercises are authentic
pedagogical materials, which implement the instruction of English online as an
alternative mode of teaching and learning. The exercises and resources are
interactive and they cover different aspects of grammar, vocabulary, reading, and
listening. This website also sets forums for the students and tutorials.

The listening section (http://www.englishpage.com/listening/) gives access to


listening material from the BBC and American National Public Radio programmes on
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several topics. You can access talk shows, drama, news reports, sports, music and
many other areas. You can choose to listen to British English or American English
programmes.

Technology and Language Teaching


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Unit 3. Key Ideas
ESLpoint

Figure 21. ESLpoint. Retrieved from: www.eslpoint.com

It offers graded help in all the skills. There are many online practice exercises with
clear explanations. There is also a TOEFL/TOEIC section with online material and
quizzes. Please, note that on November 2019 this site was found to be under
construction. Hopefully, it will be back online soon.

Englishclub

Figure 22. Englishclub. Retrieved from: https://www.englishclub.com

It is composed of free online resources to learn or teach English. From easy guides to
grammar or to fun games and quizzes. It is mainly divided in two parts, Learn English
and Teach English, where both teachers and students can find thousands of exercises
regarding listening, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, speaking and reading. It
also offers conversation worksheets, news to listen to, English classes for different
purposes, songs, jokes, videos and articles and magazines.
© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

For teaches it provides a link to websites where they can create exercises and
handouts.

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Unit 3. Key Ideas
Flo-Joe

Figure 23. Flo-Joe. Retrieved from: www.flo-joe.com

This is a good resource to study any of the Cambridge exams, including FCE,
Cambridge Advanced and Proficiency, since it provides practice tests in all the levels.
Besides, it has a new resource for IELTS Speaking, which gives free weekly practice
tests in the topics that are likely to come up in the exam, as well as weekly vocabulary
tests.

It is intended for both teachers and students, although registration is


mandatory.
Grammarly

Figure 24. Grammarly. Retrieved from: https://www.grammarly.com/

Grammarly is a good tool for ESL students, since it allows them to proofread their
work for spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and even the correct spacing. It is
very easy to implement, and users can either add the Grammarly extension to their
browsers or upload a document to the Grammarly site to check their writing and
assignments. It also has the following possibilities: Advanced Grammar Rules,
© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

Contextual Spell Checker, Vocabulary Enhancement, Plagiarism Checker and Correct


Writing Mistakes.

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Unit 3. Key Ideas
For an overview of grammar in English or for a more technical approach, English
grammar secrets (https://englishgrammarsecrets.com/) and Wyzant
(https://www.wyzant.com/) have a variety of resources on all aspects of grammar
rules and how to apply those rules. They develop topics such as the passive voice,
irregular verbs and parts of speech with additional exercises to practice. Each topic
is listed in the sidebar, which makes it easy to find exactly what we need.

Useful websites for ESL classroom

Watch the following video to access some very interesting websites. We will also talk
about some activities that could be implemented regarding those websites.

Access the video through the virtual classroom


© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

3.5. Bibliographical references

Miles, P. (2001). ICT in English. Cambridge: Pearson Publishing.

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Unit 3. Key Ideas
Savvidis, P. (2016). Top 6 benefits of using technology in the classroom.
Webanywhere.co.uk. Retrieved from:
https://www.webanywhere.co.uk/blog/2016/02/top-6-benefits-technology-
classroom/
© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

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Unit 3. Key Ideas
In Depth
Making waves, not just surfing the net

Kajee, L. (n. d.). Making waves, not just surfing the net: ICT and learning in the ESL
classroom. Johannesburg, South Africa: University of the Witwatersrand, Unpublished
paper. Retrieved from:
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.123.8494&rep=rep1&type=
pdf

In this article, the author proposes a deepened understanding and use of ICT for ESL
learning and teaching purposes.

ESL teachers’ attitudes towards using ICT in Literature lessons

Shah, P. M. & Empungan, J. L. (25th February 2015). ESL Teachers’ Attitudes towards
Using ICT in Literature Lessons. International Journal of English Language Education, 3
(1), 201-2018. Retrieved from:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f887/18832c1b6b1a1beffa71e9973a9bc907666a.pdf

This resource explores our, as teachers, attitude regarding the use of ICT when
teaching literature.
© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

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Unit 3. In Depth
Managing problems and planning activities involving ICT tools in teaching ESL
reading and writing

Yunnus, M. M., Nordinm N., Salehi, H., Embi, M. A. & Mahamod, Z. (1st August 2013).
Managing Problems and Planning Activities Involving ICT Tools in Teaching ESL Reading
and Writing. Asian Social Science, 9 (10), 222-230. Retrieved from:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2fa1/cb2bdb990e4020a8fa28da1e45dcc87b1cd7.pdf

This article talks about the possibilities of ICT tools regarding classroom management
and activity planning.

UNESCO ICT in Education Programme

Vosloo, S. (2013). UNESCO ICT in Education Programme: Challenges, Focus Areas, and
Deliverables [slideshow file]. Retrieved from:
https://www.slideshare.net/DIUFL/unesco-ict-in-education-programme

The slideshow shown above explains UNESCO’s ICT programme regarding education,
focusing specially in its challenges, the areas it focuses in and its deliverables.
© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

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Unit 3. In Depth
Test
1. Students are not aware of the implementation of ICT in the classroom.
A. True.
B. False.

2. ICT resources will render the role of the teacher less important.
A. True.
B. False.

3. The fact of being active or passive, oral or written features is related to:
A. ICT resources.
B. Feedback and assessment.
C. The four linguistic skills.

4. According to Miles (2001), ICT are good for teachers, since by using them teachers
gain visibility.
A. True.
B. False.

5. According to Savvidis (2016), students learn better if they use ICT technologies.
A. True.
B. False.

6. The more complex the ICT, the better the activities.


A. True.
© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

B. False.

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Unit 3. Test
7. Transformation of a text is a good way to:
A. See if your students have plagiarized or copied.
B. Create attractive texts.
C. Make your students write, since a lot of activities regarding writing can be
done instead of just writing.

8. The BBC website bases its English teaching manly on working with videos.
A. True.
B. False.

9. All publishing houses offer free activities in their websites, just by clicking on the
corresponding link.
A. True.
B. False.

10. Busy Teacher has the option to download chronologically ordered material.
A. True.
B. False.
© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

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Unit 3. Test

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